Usually one of the first things that many people do in the morning is grab a cup of coffee to kick start their day. The aroma, the taste and the kick that the caffeine brings makes for a pleasant experience to wake up to. However that being said there seems to be a negative connotation that surrounds coffee with people saying that caffeine is bad for you, it stains your teeth among many.
While anything in excess can definitely have a negative effect on you, quality coffee is actually healthy if taken in moderation, as it has many beneficial nutrients and antioxidants.
Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee
Over a couple of years, numerous studies have been conducted to study the effects and impacts that coffee has on the body, below we address some of the findings that have been made.
- Help you burn more calories
Having just one or two cups of coffee a day has proven that it can help boost your metabolism up to 20% this allows you to burn more calories which is great news if you’re on a diet or looking at losing some weight.
- A source of numerous antioxidants and nutrients
Coffee has been found to contain a tremendous amount of antioxidants. In fact, surprisingly coffee is the source of most of the antioxidants for western cultures, more than that of vegetables and fruits.
Other important ingredients include riboflavin (11% of the RDA), potassium (3%), magnesium and niacin (2% each). These amounts are increased if you drink more than one cup per day.
- Less risk of type 2 diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes is an affliction that currently affects around 300 million people across the world. Coffee drinkers can reduce their risk with every cup of coffee they drink.
Results from various studies seem to indicate around a 7% reduction in risk for every cup consumed, with the heaviest coffee drinkers lowering the risk by as much as 67%.
- Makes you more energetic
This is what coffee is well known for, giving you that extra bit of energy when you need it most. Whether it’s a night of tossing and turning or just fatigue during the day, caffeine which acts as a stimulant provides you with that much needed energy, focus and alertness when you are experiencing a point of low stamina or a bout of fatigue.
Things to keep in mind about coffee
There are a few tidbits you should consider if you want to enjoy the benefits of coffee:
- A vast majority of the benefits are brought about by the caffeine in coffee, you won’t get all the same benefits from decaf.
- Adding things like artificial sweeteners and creamers will reduce the health impact that the coffee has to offer.
- While coffee can certainly help you resist fatigue, drinking it in excess can lead to adrenal exhaustion.
- Coffee is also a diuretic. Drinking too much of it can result in dehydration.
How to get the maximum benefit from coffee?
To get the maximum benefit from your coffee, opt for whole coffee beans and grind them right before you’re ready to brew your coffee. Black coffee is recommended if you want to experience more of the benefits.
You’ll also want to go with organic coffee beans since those that aren’t pesticide-free are often among the most heavily-sprayed crops in existence.
